Soft sole slipper



Nov. 30, 1954 N. F. SHERMAN 2,695,464

soFT somaA SLIPPER Filed June 27, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l JNVENTOA MMM/#w 14 lo de* 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 27, 1951 ,INI/ENTOR.

gy/@f soFr soLE SLIPPER Norman F. Sherman, Brookline, Mass., assignor to Sherman Footwear Company, Marlboro, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 27, 1951, Serial No. 233,792

1 Claim. (Cl. 36-28) This invention comprises a new and improved soft sole slipper and includes within its scope a cushion outsole ot' novel construction which is a distinguishing feature thereof.

The better grades of slippers which are flexible and of light weight have been made heretofore by the turn shoe process. That process requires unusual skill on the part of the Shoemaker and results in an open seam construction which is a weak feature of the slipper from the standpoint of long wear. danger of loose linings incident to the turning step of the process.

The present invention obviates these difficulties and provides a slipper that may be made by the well-known and more economical cement lasted process and that presents certain important advantages in construction, appearance and wear.

Going more into detail, the cushion outsole of my invention is prepared completely by fitting room operations and then adhesively attached Iin the usual manner to the bottom of the cement-lasted upper. Thus I may prepare a tightly lasted well-fitting lined upper which will permanently retain its shape in wear and in which I may employ alligator skin or other upper material not suited for the turn shoe process. Further, I am able to prepare in the stitching room department where costs are relatively low, a complete cushion outsole unit presenting a double rolled edge in which the stitch-line is fully concealed and fully protected from attrition in wear. This is effected by rst stitching to the marginal edge of the finished or inner face of a leather ply a binding strip in overlapping relation with its finished face uppermost, then folding the stitched edges of the blank and binding strip inwardly and enclosing in the binding strip a cushion ller. Thus is provided a self-contained unit outsole that may be handled in the factory as a distinct article or sole assembly unit and adhesively attached to the shoe bottom with the assistance of sole presses readily available to the manufacturer.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following descriptionl of a preferred embodiment of my improved slipper together with steps of its production as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in perspective of the tread ply and attached binding strip,

Fig. 2 is a view in perspective showing the tread ply turned right side out and the cushion elements in place,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the toe portion of the sole unit,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of Fig. 3 and on an enlarged scale,

Fig. 5 isa corresponding view through the heel end of the sole unit,

Fig. 6 is a view in perspective showing the lasted upper and sole unit, and

Fig. 7 is a view in perspective showing the forepart of the finished slipper.

In preparing the cushion sole unit herein shown, a sole-shaped outer or tread ply 10 is cut from upper leather or other suitable sheet material. A binding strip is stitched to the finished or grain face of this ply by the stitch line 13. The binding strip as herein shown comprises a forepart strip 11 and a rear part strip 12. 'The binding strip may be of the same upper leather as the tread ply, or of textile or plastic material. It is superposed on the tread ply with its finished face down and may be stitched in overlapping position by any straight needle machine.

The tread ply 10 with its attached binding strip is next turned right side out and now takes the shape shown in Fig. 2 with the nished face of the tread ply directed There is also an ever present i gli) 2,695,464 Patented Nov. 30, 1954 lCC downwardly and its marginal edge rolled inwardly. The lower marginal edge ot` the binding strip is also rolled inwardly so that the stitch line 13 1s fully concealed and its finished face 1s directed outwardly. A sole-shaped cushion pad 14 of felt or other flexible material is next placed upon the tread ply 1U and this is supplemented in the heel seat portion of the sole by a lift 15 of cork composition or other filler material. The lift 15 has a long bevel at its breast edge which merges into'the cusht' ion 14 in the finished sole unit.

As herein shown, a thin blank or slip 16 of sheet material such as paper or fibre is placed over the cushion 14 and the lift 15. Fig. 2 shows the cushion 14 and lift in place with the blank 16 being inserted upon them.

When this has been done, the binding strip 11 is cemented, wiped inwardly and adhesively attached to the loose blank 16 as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. 'The rear binding strip 12 isthen similarly wiped inwardly and adhesively attached to the blank 16 about the heel seat, thus completing the sole as a self-contained unit that may be prepared independently of the other shoemaking operations involved in manufacturing the novel slipper of my invention. The cushion 14 and lift 15 are smoothly covered and enclosed beneath the blank 16, and the blank serves as a bond between the inturned sides of the binding strip.

In Fig. 6 is shown the lasted upper 17 of the slipper which is here represented as cement lasted to an insole 18 and presenting the over-wiped lasting margin 19. A filler 20 of any suitable or usual material may be placed upon the insole 18 between the lasted margins of the upper. The upper is lasted upon the last 21 and is supported thereon during the step of adhesively attaching the sole unit. The bottom face of the `lasted upper and the top face of the cushion sole unit are coated with cement, brought into contact in the proper relation, and then subjected to attaching pressure in a sole press for a sufficient interval to form a secure `and permanent bond between these two elements of the slipper.

Fig. 7 represents the forepart of the finished slipper produced by the steps above set forth. The lined upper 17 presents all the line lines of a well lasted shoe, while its cushion sole presents a double rolled edge of attractive and pleasing appearance.

It will be noted that in the forepart of sole unit the bottom or tread ply 10 encloses most of the cushion 14 and the binding strip 11 lies mostly on top of the cushion, while in the heel-seat part of the unit the rear binding strip 12 encloses the heel lift 15 and overlaps the same to a lesser degree.

Having thus disclosed my invention and described in detail an illustrative example thereof, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

A flexible cushion sole for a soft sole slipper, com prising a sole-shaped tread ply of soft upper material having narrow binding strips stitched to its margin, a full length cushion pad superposed on the tread ply, a beveled lift located upon the heel seat portion of the cushion pad, and a thin blank of sheet material smoothly and loosely covering the cushion and the lift and extending fully to both edges of the sole, the binding strips being inturned in rolled edge formation and adhesively attached to the exposed surface of said thin blank of sheet material which thus forms a bond between the op posite sides of the binding strips as well :as completely enclosing the cushion pad beneath it.

References Cited in the lile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,655,397 Horne Ian. 3, 1928 1,795,305 Jacob Mar. 10, 1931 2,106,676 Green Ian. 25, 1938 2,344,057 Pepitone Mar. 14, 1944 2,349,866 Heck May 30, 1944 2,370,109 Pipitone Feb. 20, 1945 2,400,243 Maling May 14, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 121,099 Australia Feb. 25, 1946 

